


under those eyes

by yououui



Category: Final Fantasy VII
Genre: F/M, Falling In Love, Final Fantasy VII Remake, Fluff, Hair Brushing, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-29
Updated: 2020-04-29
Packaged: 2021-03-02 01:21:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,610
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23906848
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yououui/pseuds/yououui
Summary: Aerith grows worried of Cloud’s sleepless nights.Aerith hummed in thought as she looked at him. “You need to sleep more.”“Can’t,” Cloud said. “That’s why I’m out here.”“You could try,” Aerith replied. She patted her thigh. “Come on, lie down.”Cloud looked down at her leg, then into her eyes. “...Huh?”
Relationships: Aerith Gainsborough/Cloud Strife
Comments: 9
Kudos: 267
Collections: Umbrella & Nailbat | Recs





	under those eyes

**Author's Note:**

> This idea comes from a prompt sent on twitter that suggested after my story _[lucky](https://archiveofourown.org/works/23867761)_ , I write a story of Aerith being the one to brush Cloud's hair.  
> You don't need to read _lucky_ to understand this story, but I would love it if you did!
> 
> Slight (?) spoilers for Remake, set vaguely during their travels outside of Midgar.

_Hands clasped together in prayer, hands he knew to be kind and gentle and selfless. Lips that seemed to always be pulled into a soft smile. Materia—not good for anything at all?—falling away, hitting stone steps in silence until it fell into crystalline water. Then, himself, standing in that water, someone held in his arms—_

Cloud gasped awake, his lips parting with a quiet, pained noise like a soft sob. He stared up at the ceiling with wide eyes, tried to even out his shaking breath and remind himself that it was only a dream. They were okay. _She_ was okay.

He ran a hand down his face and shook his head. He sat up from his place on the floor and looked around. Aerith and Tifa were sharing a blanket in the corner of the room, sleeping soundly, safe. Cloud sighed and bowed his head forward, stared down at his trembling fingers. It was happening more and more lately, these dreams. He thought the visions would stop once they defeated the Whispers, but now he couldn't tell the difference between visions of their possible futures and nightmares that made him fear like a child to even sleep.

He quietly stood and grabbed the buster sword from its place against the wall, holding it in his hand as he stepped silently through the room and through the door, stepping outside of the hut they were using as shelter. He knew he wouldn’t be able to sleep for the rest of the evening, so he figured he might as well enjoy the good weather and clear sky.

Cloud sat down on the grass and leaned back against the wall of the hut, the buster sword laid out on the ground next to him. He wiped at his eyes and shook his head; these long nights were getting exhausting. He was used to not getting as much sleep as the average person, it came with being a SOLDIER and after so long, it didn’t bother him. Lately though, even just having a light sleep that lasted more than a few hours was rare. He couldn’t even remember the last time he woke up after the sun had risen.

He sighed and leaned his head back to look up at the stars. The dull headache that seemed to always be with him was growing in pain. He’d be lucky if he even managed to doze off tonight.

Before he could try, the door to the hut opened, and he saw black boots step on the grass, the white hem of a flowing pink skirt brushing around them as Aerith shut the door behind her and turned to face him. She smiled at him, he frowned at her. It was becoming quite a habit of Aerith’s to join Cloud when he stayed up. It was one of the reasons he was now trying to get some sleep with the rest of the group, so that _she_ would sleep as well instead of trying to stay up with him.

“What are you doing?” Cloud asked quietly.

“I heard you walk out,” Aerith told him. “I wanted to see if you’re okay.”

“I’m fine,” Cloud said with a wave of his hand. “Go back inside.”

“Well…” Aerith smiled sheepishly and sat down next to him. “I also heard you. When you woke up. It… Sounded like you were having a nightmare.”

Cloud swallowed and looked away from her. “It was just a dream,” He said quietly.

“Do you want to talk about it?” Aerith asked him.

“Nope,” Cloud answered quickly. She already knew what was worrying him, after all. She knew what her fate was meant to be, she warned Cloud of it herself, in her own cryptic way. But more than that, Cloud couldn’t speak of it. If he said it aloud it would feel real, like something tangible he couldn’t try (and fail) to brush aside.

“Okay then,” Aerith said lightly, and just her quick acceptance eased Cloud’s mind. It was nice to not be pushed or nagged, but to just have someone by his side, someone who cared enough to listen if he needed to talk but would never force him to.

“Thanks,” He said softly with a nod. He felt like he needed to say it.

Aerith stretched her legs straight out in front of her and leaned back against the wall. Cloud watched her feet as they moved left and right to a beat he couldn’t hear. “You seem pretty tired lately,” She said after a few moments of comfortable silence.

“Yeah, well,” Cloud responded. “Can’t sleep. But I’m used to it.”

Aerith looked at him from the corner of her eye and gave a sly smile. “You always _say_ you’re used to it, but I don’t know if I believe you.”

Cloud sighed and shook his head. “Do you want me to admit I’m tired? Fine, I’m tired,” He shrugged. “But really. I’m okay.”

Aerith hummed in thought as she looked at him. “You need to sleep more.”

“Can’t,” Cloud said. “That’s why I’m out here.”

“You could try,” Aerith replied. She patted her thigh. “Come on, lie down.”

Cloud looked down at her leg, then into her eyes. “...Huh?”

“Lie down,” Aerith repeated, gesturing to her leg in some form of offering. “It’ll be more comfortable than just sitting here. And maybe you’ll be able to sleep.”

“U-Um…” Cloud swallowed. His ears were warm. “I-I don’t think I…”

“Come on, Cloud,” Aerith pulled at his arm to get him to sway closer to her. She offered him a smile that reminded him of his mother. “I’m telling you it’s all right. I want you to get some rest.”

Her eyes were as kind as ever and her smile just as comforting, and Cloud knew she wouldn’t let him object any longer. With a slow nod, Cloud awkwardly moved along the grass so he could lie down on his back and hesitantly laid his head across her lap. He laid there stiffly, afraid to put his full weight on her thighs in case it was uncomfortable for her, but her hand quickly landed on his shoulder.

“Don’t be shy, Cloud,” She said. “Just get comfortable.”

Cloud did as he was told and slowly forced himself to relax his body. He crossed his hands over his stomach and looked at the stars, adamantly trying to avoid looking up at her. Soon after though, he felt something tickle against his cheek, and realized it was her hair falling over his face. He glanced up at her; she was looking down at him with a smile.

“Better?” She asked.

Cloud thought for a moment. He was actually the most comfortable he had been in a long time. “Yeah,” He said with a nod. “Much.”

Aerith nodded. “Just try to sleep,” She said in a soft, soothing voice that was just barely above a whisper, a tone that quickly lulled him into a sense of comfort. “It’s okay.”

Cloud listened to her and shut his eyes with a quiet sigh. Out here, all he could hear were crickets chirping nearby and the soft breeze rustling leaves. And then… humming. Aerith was quietly humming a song Cloud didn’t know, one that eased him more and more into that comfortable, sleepy state. Maybe he would be able to doze off, he thought briefly as he felt his body relax more with each note she hummed.

Right after he thought it, he felt something brush through his hair. He felt it again, and again, felt blunt fingernails scratch softly against his scalp in a way that made his fingers tingle. He blinked his eyes open and looked up at Aerith, who didn’t even notice at first; she was too preoccupied running her fingers through his hair.

Once she saw his eyes peering up at her, she stopped immediately and pulled her hand back sheepishly. “Sorry,” She said.

“It’s okay,” Cloud told her quietly. Normally, he’s sure he’d be feeling quite a bit more nervous than this. He would be shy, awkward, unsure of how to act and unable to breathe past his stuttering heart. But now, he was so warm and content, it was like he didn’t have the energy to feel that way. He just wanted to keep the same serene feeling Aerith was giving him. “I… I like it.”

Aerith smiled, nodded, and returned to her ministrations. As soon as her fingers sunk into his hair again, Cloud felt pure bliss. If this was how he could spend the rest of his days, sitting under the starlight with her, just _feeling_ her like this, he’d stay put until the day he died. He continued looking up at her, looked at the gentle arch of her brow, her high cheekbones, the soft, smiling curve of her lips, the darkened green of her eyes that seemed to hold an unknown power over him.

Those eyes met his, and she leaned down closer to him. His lips parted and he felt himself wanting something he feared he could never have. His hands urged to pull her down until the space between them was gone forever.

“Shouldn’t you be trying to sleep?” She whispered.

Yes, he thought, but how could he? How could he shut his eyes to the beauty looking down at him? But then again, he also couldn’t deny her. He felt his lips turn up in a small smile as he shut his eyes once again.

Aerith’s fingers continued brushing through his hair and she began humming her song again, and this time when Cloud fell asleep, he dreamt pleasantly of flowers until sunrise.

**Author's Note:**

> thanks for reading! come scream about how much you love them with me
> 
> [twitter](https://www.twitter.com/yououuii)  
> [tumblr](https://yououui.tumblr.com)


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